Two cougars shot after mauling child on Vancouver Island

A four-year-old boy sustained non-life-threatening injuries when he was mauled in a cougar attack in Lake Cowichan on Friday afternoon.

According to Lake Cowichan Mayor Rod Peters, the boy was bitten on his arm and has since been flown to hospital in Vancouver for treatment.

“It was in the Point Ideal subdivision right near the centre of town down by the marina,” Peters said.

“There were at least two and they think maybe three cougars,” he added

“Basically it was just his arm that was chewed up but so he’ll be OK. Not life-threatening.”

Peters said he went to the scene at roughly 5:30 p.m. and while he was there the conservation officers located and shot two small cougars and were still scanning the area as they think there might be one more.

“They had the cougar hounds out,” he said. “They were just small cougars, yearlings or something like that.”

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Chris Manseau confirmed earlier in the evening that police were involved in the incident.

“Front-line members are currently working along with B.C. conservation officers in an attempt to locate the cougar,” he had stated.

A BC Emergency Health Services spokesperson also confirmed 0n Friday evening that there was an incident in the Lake Cowichan area and that they had been dispatched to the scene around 3:30 p.m.

“One patient was transported to hospital in serious condition,” said the spokesperson, who confirmed both ground and air ambulances were dispatched.

Manseau advised residents to remain vigilant.

“RCMP and Conservation are requesting that anyone in the Lake Cowichan area who see RCMP and conservation officers searching for this animal to remain indoors for their own safety,” he said.

More to come as it becomes available.

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